Autumn is my favorite season in Wisconsin. Growing up, I recall taking the final trips of the season up north, heading to the local apple farm, picking out pumpkins and sweet corn and watching high school football, wrapped in a blanket with a cup of hot cider.

Where are your favorite places in Oshkosh to visit during this autumn season?

Autumn was also always about family. I would travel with my parents up north (Crivitz, Wisconsin), visit the local apple farm with my sister or watch her play in marching band at the local high school. Family is everything to me, and it is also everything to many local Oshkosh businesses.

I visited one local clock shop and talked to the store manager who has quite the family history with four generations working (and playing) together under one roof.

As always, send me your story ideas at MNaczek@gannett.com.

Local clock store brings together four generations

Letty Haase brings her 3-year-old son into work every day. Sometimes he plays with his 92-year-old great grandpa, tossing a ball in the back. Other times, he sits at his grandpa’s work desk and watches him fix various gadgets.

Letty’s son is living a childhood similar to her own at Miller Clock Service and Sales, at 1820 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh.

Haase joined the family business when she was 15. Close to 20 years later, she manages the store, working alongside her grandfather and father.

Ray Miller started Miller Clock Services and Sales in 1947. Miller fixed General Electric clocks in the basement of his home on Bowen Street, Haase said. Miller attracted enough business that he had to move to a storefront on Broad Street. Along with General Electric, Miller began fixing Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks.

“Then they hired Grandpa, Don Bartelt. He fixed the clocks but also was their jeweler,” Haase said. “That's how we got into the business was my grandpa worked with Ray Miller.”

Bartelt would buy the store from Miller, and his son, Jeff, joined the business in 1970 as a licensed horologist (otherwise known as a watchmaker).

“I grew up in the business,” Haase said. “I’ve been here since birth.”

Haase recalled never having a babysitter when she was growing up. Summers were spent at the store with her father and grandpa. Working with her family every day is the reason she decided to join the business.

“We would come to work. At lunchtime, I would get to go home with Grandpa for lunch and see Grandma,and Grandma would make us lunch. Then we would go back to work,” Haase said. “It was so fun being able to hang out with family.”

In the 71 years since the store opened, business has changed. The rise of retail store and the explosion of the internet have changed the way people buy goods.

“The biggest thing is the history back then compared to now,” Haase said. “Everybody wanted things fixed. Today we are more of a throw-away society, which is unfortunate because things can still be fixed.”

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Letty Haase joined the business in 2000. She is the store manager.(Photo: Margaret Naczek/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Some of the top-selling products and services at Miller Clock Services and Sales include battery replacement, band resizing and replacements and the many trinkets spread throughout the storefront.

Because the tradition of passing on heirlooms is still popular, Haase said, the store still sells watches and clocks as wedding and graduation gifts. The store also does engravings to further personalize gifts.

Haase wants to remember that despite the name, the store is about more than just the wheels and bearings of a grandfather clock.

“We are here to serve our customers. We want to try our best to do the repairs they need. We are more than just clocks,” she said.

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The new location of Zaffron is at 303 N. Sawyer St.(Photo: Margaret Naczek/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Zaffron moves to a new location

Zaffron, an Indian grocery store, moved into a new location at 303 N. Sawyer St. last month. The store’s owner, Muhammad “Mo” Azhar, wanted to relocate into the same location as his other business, Sign Makers, also located at the same address.

Zaffron opened about seven months ago at 374 S. Koeller St. Azhar is in the process of updating the store’s Facebook page and transferring over customer information.

According to its Facebook page, the store sells “Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern foods, drinks, ingredients, sweets, spices, sauces, jams, chutney and halal meat.” It's open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Azhar believes his business is a staple in the community because customers do not have to make a far drive to Chicago or Milwaukee for Asian, cuisine, herbs and spices. It's right next door.

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Owner Muhammad Azhar established his grocery store about seven months ago at its former location on Koeller Street.(Photo: Margaret Naczek/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

McDonald’s on Koeller Street undergoing renovations

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The McDonald's off Koeller Street closed its lobby for remodeling, but its drive-thru is still open through the process.(Photo: Margaret Naczek/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

The McDonald’s lobby at 1995 Menard Dr. will be closed for renovations, likely until October, the store manager said.

The store will be adding new kiosks for customers to purchase food and beverages. The store’s drive-thru will remain open throughout the remodeling process.

Across town, the 24-hour McDonald's at 1863 N. Jackson St. celebrated its grand reopening Monday after a similar renovation project. Customers had the opportunity to use the new kiosks and received coupons, including free sandwiches and even 52 weeks of french fries.

There is no word yet if the Menard Drive McDonald's will celebrate with a grand reopening as well. The store’s drive-thru hours are from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

New law firm in Oshkosh

With over 30 years of practicing law in Oshkosh, attorneys Brian Mares and Douglas Marone recently established a new law firm, Mares & Marone LLP Attorneys at Law.

The two attorneys were recent partners at the firm Steinhilber Swanson.

The new law firm is the result of reorganization at Steinhilber Swanson, “in order to facilitate a focus on practice groups which will simplify administrative issues,” according to a statement from the new firm.

Mares & Marone will continue to be located at 107 Church Ave., the same location as Steinhilber Swanson.